National Physicians' Day

“When there are decisions that go against the health of my patients, I have to do something, so speaking out about the weakening of public health was imperative."

“Growing up, hearing these stories (about my own family's refugee experience) made me realize the power of advocacy and looking out for those around you, and I’ve always tried to champion that.”

"Policy only matters to the lives of real people when it’s made concrete and granular in our health system organizations — as clinicians we all want to see the change and we want to make the change."

"I grew up with a concern for equality, questioning why some people do better than others in terms of their mental and physical health. As a physician, I can ask those questions and perhaps have a louder voice.”

"We're seeing greater numbers of women in medicine, but there's still a huge gap between the number who’ve actually achieved leadership roles."

"It changes the morale of our fighting men and women to know we’re going to be there and that we have a successful record of bringing them home in the best condition possible."

“When I went into medical school, I wanted to improve upon what I saw and make a difference in patient care.”

"Doctors have the great privilege of having the public’s trust. This trust allows them to influence policy-makers and corporate leaders to work collectively for the common good.”

"When it comes to advocacy, you create the forum and context and then let people have their own conversations about what they want to create."

“It’s important to set those aspirational goals. In my opinion, it’s better to aim for a big goal and fall short then to have never tried at all.”

The CMA Awards recognize the dedication, successes and talents of Canadians who are making significant contributions to our health and health care.